Blair attacked.

PRIME Minister Tony Blair was attacked over the Government's record in tackling hospital superbugs yesterday after a damning report accused NHS chiefs of letting infections run out of control.

Mr Blair, tackled over the MRSA crisis during Commons Question Time, acknowledged that battling the superbug was ``a serious problem'' facing the NHS. But he insisted the Government was taking measures to bring down infection rates, which were not much higher than other European countries including Spain, Holland and Denmark.

His promises did not convince Conservative leader Michael Howard, who said this was little comfort for the patients affected or the families of the ``5, 000 people a year who die from these infections''.

Mr Howard said that since the Government took office deaths from MRSA had doubled.

Mr Blair replied: ``You're right in saying we still have a great deal to do to get the proper information on it. I would point out, however, that until we came to office there was no mandatory reporting of this at all. ''